1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for generating a layout image by laying out images in a background area, and to a program for causing a computer to execute the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generation of photograph album prints has conventionally been carried out by printing images laid out on single sheets. By laying out images on individual sheets, a photograph album can be generated easily, since prints do not need to be pasted later on a photo mount.
However, an attractive image layout requires special knowledge, and laying out images is a time-consuming operation.
For this reason, various kinds of methods have been proposed for laying out images with ease (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 9(1997)-214868 and 2000-299777). In a method described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9(1997)-214868, necessary and unnecessary images are specified by a user when the images are shown to the user, and only the necessary images are laid out. According to this method, a photograph album can also be printed easily by preparing a template for image insertion. In a method described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-299777, images are arranged according to time of photography thereof, and the images are laid out at positions preset according to the size and orientation of each of the images.
Another method has also been proposed regarding printing of a document (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-235466). In this method, a recommended printing condition that is pre-registered according to a purpose of printing is searched for in order to reduce trouble in a setting operation at the time of printing, and a manner of display is determined and shown based on the recommended printing condition in accordance with the printing purpose. According to this-method, redundant operations such as explicit registration of settings can be omitted, and setting operations are carried out with ease.
However, in the methods described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 9(1997)-214868 and 2000-299777, a user himself/herself needs to decide the layout of images, which is a troublesome operation for the user. Furthermore, in the method described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-299777, only layouts available according to combinations of image orientations can be used. Therefore, variations of the layouts are limited. In this case, the method in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-235466 may be applied to the methods in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 9(1997)-214868 and 2000-299777 for easier layout operations. However, in the method described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-235466, functions and operations are fixed, and a user cannot freely lay images out. Therefore, the preferences of a user cannot be reflected.